Toy Poodle vs Miniature Poodle History
As you might imagine, the history of the Miniature and Toy Poodles are mixed with the history of the regular sized, or Standard, Poodle. The Standard Poodle is an old European breed, used for hunting and retrieving waterfowl. Eventually, these dogs became the canine companion of choice for French nobility, and thus the national dog of France.
Standard Poodles have been around since the 15th century, at least. By the 18th century they were the main companion dog in Spain. Starting in the 18th century, smaller Miniature Poodles started becoming popular as companions in French royal houses. In the 20th century, Toy Poodles started being bred in the U.S. as a good companion for people who lived in cities.
All three sizes of Poodle are recognized by the American Kennel Club and the British Kennel Club. Both the Miniature and Toy are simply considered smaller varieties of the Standard, and are bred to the same standards. However, some studies show that Miniature Poodles from North America may be a distinct breed compared to Standard Poodles!
Toy Poodle vs. Miniature Poodle Health
Miniature and Toy Poodles are both generally fairly sturdy little dogs. A history of good breeding means these dogs generally live long and healthy lives. Their life expectancy runs about 10-18 years.
Interestingly, Miniature Poodles have more genetic diversity than Standard Poodles. This may make them even slightly healthier than their larger counterparts. But you should know that Toy Poodles, because of their small bones and size, are more likely to suffer from injury. Their size makes them more fragile.
All poodles are prone to certain genetic issues. These include certain autoimmune disorders including Addison’s disease, and sebaceous adenitis, which is an inflammatory disease affecting hair follicles. These also include epilepsy, hip dysplasia, diabetes, hepatitis, hypothyroidism, atrial septal defect (of the heart). And a bleeding disorder called von Willebrand’s disease.
They may also experience eye disorders. Miniature and Toy Poodles also experience certain orthopedic problems. Especially Legg-Calvé Perthes (a bleeding disorder of the hips), and luxating patellas. With Miniature and Toy Poodles, recommended health tests include a hip evaluation, an ophthalmologist evaluation, a PRA optigen DNA test, and a patella evaluation.
Is a toy poodle smaller than a miniature poodle?
Miniature poodles stand between 28-38cm tall and weigh around 7-8kg – they are small, but not as small as their toy poodle cousins. They are the most commonly favoured variant in poodle hybrid crossings as their size means they have the versatility to be crossed with a wide range of other dogs.
Top 10 TOY DOG BREEDS Miniature & Dog Sizes
Miniature Poodles should generally be between 11-15 inches at the shoulder. Toy poodles are even smaller than that, at 10 inches tops! Size is really the only difference in appearance between these dogs. All three breeds carry the same official breed standard.